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Halloween Jack and a tale of the pumpkin
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Ever wonder how a hollowed-out pumpkin became a Halloween icon? Apparently, Jack, of the Jack O’Lantern fame has a story and, yes, it is an Irish fable.
There was a notoriously stingy drinker named Jack, who had a round with the Devil that nearly cost him his soul...
Apparently Jack was next to expiring and Old Nick, as the Devil was also called, planned on capturing his spirit. Jack had a trick up his sleeve, however, and made a deal that if he could have just one last drink, he would accompany the Devil to Hades, on his honor.
“There is a slight problem though,” said Jack, “I have no more money. But, if you change yourself into sixpence, I can get my drink and we will be on our way.”
The Devil was also a show-off and sensing the opportunity to shape-shift, agreed. Once transformed into a coin though, Jack popped him into a purse, and refused to let him out until the Devil promised he would not claim his soul for ten years.
There’s more…
Ten years later, Jack was in an orchard happily walking along when Old Nick showed up to collect his soul. Jack was the type of man who thought fast on his feet however, and said, “Before you carry me off to perdition, would you be the gentleman I’ve heard you can be and fetch me an apple? You can stand here on my shoulders to reach it.”
The Devil obliged and no sooner was he aloft and on Jack's shoulders that Jack carved a cross in the trunk of the tree with his penknife. Of course, this meant the Devil was left hanging in the air. As a condition for getting the Devil down, Jack extorted another promise, a promise from the Devil to never again ask for his soul. And the Devil, double-crossed yet again, agreed.
When Jack finally did die, he was turned away from heaven. And when he applied for entrance into Hell, (to keep from endless wandering) the Devil said, “I cannot break my word.” Dejected and bested, Jack knew he was doomed with nowhere to go. “Give me at least a light to find my way,” he pleaded with the Devil. The Devil responded by hurtling a coal from the fires of Hell in his direction. According to legend, Jack placed it inside a turnip he had been munching, and the Jack O’Lantern was born.
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Surprise the kids with a: Hot Dog! It’s a Mummy recipe for supper this weekend:
Ingredients:
- Mummy Dogs, 6 all-beef franks
- 1 (11-ounce) can of refrigerated Breadsticks
- Ketchup and mustard
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove breadsticks from container; separate into 6 coils at perforations.
- To make each mummy, unroll 1 coil of dough. Wrap dough in a uneven spiral around 1 frankfurter, stretching to fit. Pinch to seal at both ends of frankfurter but let the top peek out.
- Place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining frankfurters and dough.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Add two tiny squirts of mustard for eyes on each mummy.
Serve with ketchup “blood” for dipping.
Makes 6 servings.
Recipe from Certified Angus Beef LLC®. Find more Halloween recipes at: http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/kitchen/kitchen_10_12.php#
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